A mom whose baby died an hour after she gave birth at Prince Mshiyeni Hospital is suing the provincial government for R3m.
|||Durban - A first-time mother whose baby died an hour after she gave birth at uMlazi’s Prince Mshiyeni Hospital is suing the provincial government for R3 million in damages.
Sinenhlanhla Maphumulo has claimed in papers filed in the Durban High Court that five hours after she arrived at the hospital on July 22 last year she was still not allocated a bed; not given the medication her doctor had prescribed; and endured labour pains without help from an “impatient and aggressive” nurse.
“When (Maphumulo) realised the baby was about to come, she screamed and the (nurse) told her not to push as there was no receiver yet,” read the court papers.
The nurse then called for a receiver, which apparently took three minutes to arrive. At 6am the next day the baby was delivered. “The baby cried once and after that it was quiet.”
The newborn was taken away from Maphumulo by the nurse who returned later saying that “something” was “wrong with the baby”, the papers state.
“She took the child for a bath. (Maphumulo’s) child was taken to the nursery where (Maphumulo) overheard a nurse complaining that the nursery was cold as it had not been warmed.”
An hour after she gave birth, Maphumulo was told that her first child had died.
Now she is suing the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health and Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo for R3m in damages for her pain and suffering.
The department is opposing the matter, which was adjourned on Monday to give it time to file a responding affidavit by Wednesday, when the matter is due back in court.
Maphumulo, of G-section, uMlazi, said in court papers she arrived at the hospital at about 8.30am and was examined by a doctor who instructed the nurses to administer medication as she was going to the labour ward.
Five hours after arriving, and experiencing labour pains, she said she was still not allocated a bed due to a bed shortage.
She said the nurse was “impatient and aggressive”, instructing her to lie on her side. She said throughout the night the nurse failed to help her and scolded her when she called for assistance.
Maphumulo said the doctor returned at midnight to check on her and learnt she had still not received her medication.
She said her labour pains were increasing and that she needed help to deliver her baby. Again, she was told to lie on her side.
At 4am, another doctor checked on her, but she still had not received her medication, she claimed.
Maphumulo said her labour pains continued and when she alerted the nurse that she was about to give birth, the nurse allegedly shouted: “What do you know about giving birth since this is your first child?”
When she insisted that she was unable to sleep on her side because the baby was moving, the nurse allegedly retorted: “You are irritating me.”
noelene.barbeau@inl.co.za
Daily News